A Page in a Book
by MrsBigTuna
Summary: An AU story of two lovers from different classes. Will the fates allow their union? Literati.
1. And Than There Were Two

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Gilmore Girls. All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.**_

_Summary: An AU story of two lovers from different classes. Will the fates allow their union? Literati._

_A/N: I'm back with my first multi-chapter fanfic for this fandom. I'm pretty excited about the prospect of this story. Comment, criticize, whatever floats your boat. Enjoy!_

* * *

The darkened streets of New Haven disguised the lash tapestry of autumn leaves and canopies by hiding them in the crevices of the storybook buildings and ivory towers, masquerading the majestic exterior of the foreboding gates, admittance only given to the few and privileged. It wasn't until he parked his car into the employees parking lot that seemed like an island, with its cracks in the pavement and garbage stench, that Jess felt at home. He liked seeing the campus in this nighttime costume, stripped of the prim populous and pristine facade. It didn't seem as intimidating with the stars and moon for company. He felt he could conquer it, call it his own and erase the notions that he would never be able to walk these halls as the occupants that slept in their dorms, dreaming of their futures and adventures. He turned off the radio, taking a deep breath before opening the door to the cool November air and readying himself for the next several hours.

* * *

The smell of the piling books around her brought a certain comfort of home, being surrounded by her "friends", storytellers and raconteurs, embracing her as she sat miles aways from her home, desperate to hold onto that feeling. She had always deemed herself independent and resourceful, able to any situation with gumption and resilience, but recently, Rory had hit a wall, powerless to find the cracks in the cement to get to the other side. She turned up the sound of her speakers, soaking in every chord as she poured herself into her her copy of Russian Literature 1833-1883, hoping to find strength amongst the likes of Anton Chekhov and Alexander Pushkin. She leaned further into the cushioned seat, enjoying the quiet library and its cavernous aisles of publications and literary works, only making her long for a sentiment, something she could grasp and hold onto, but as she continued to read, nothing tangible seemed in reach and as her prospects of the future drew nearer, the only rational thing to do was hide under her covers and dissolve into oblivion.

* * *

"Hey man." The lanky, rather sweaty employee behind the counter smirked as he stood with a mop in his hand. "Thought you weren't coming in tonight."

Jess grunted. "Yeah." He opened up his locker, snatching out his uniform shirt as he pulled off his tee. He took a quick in the cracked mirror, a constant reminder of his cursed life and slammed the door. He walked over to the sign in sheet, scribbling in his handle before turning. "Am I working the library tonight?"

The man nodded. "Yeah, Stan called in sick." He threw him a set of keys. "I need you finished by four so you can get over to Berkley. Something about a toilet on the fritz."

"Come on, Jack. Can't Leroy do that?"

"He called in sick too. Apparently something's going around." Jack shrugged as he went over the paperwork in front of him. "Just do me a favor? Stay well, alright? I can't have my whole fleet falling sick 'cause they can't get their shit together." He waved Jess away, going back to the stack.

Jess sighed exasperatedly, grabbing his supplies as he headed across the walkway toward the library. He had secretly enjoyed working the night shift, no one other than Jack or Steve, the other head maintenance man, to bother him. He could just do his work in silence, stopping for the occasional few pages in the book he would take from the shelves. He liked working amongst the books, venturing to seek their contents and for a brief moment, he could emerge into their worlds, escaping from his own, suspending time and falling victim to worthless fantasies that would never take flight, but still willing to admit that he took pleasure in it. If only to be around this library or this institution, Yale University was filled with pretension, but it housed some of the best books he ever been in contact with. He figured, there would always be pros and cons to any job. At least here, he could read.

* * *

Rory read over the same text for the past fifteen minutes. She couldn't concentrate on any of the words, watching them fade in and out of conscious, swirling around the pages as if dipped into a bucket of water, warped and discolored. She knew it was late, but she needed to finish the last five chapters in order to take the exam that was in no less than six hours. She hadn't studied properly in weeks, either getting distracted with friends or her other classes. She had undertaken quite the workload this semester, even for her. She had wanted to take as many classes as she could before her last semester in January, but she couldn't find herself as motivated as she was before the summer. She had been waiting her entire academic career to be where she stood, the forefront of her future rested just beyond the horizon and instead of feeling blissful, she was terrified.

She looked down at her watch, seeing it was nearly one in the morning. She knew that the library closed at one during the week, but she needed a few more minutes. She dreaded studying in her dorm, her roommate, Paris, constantly climbing up the walls over the latest crisis in her life and driving her completely crazy. She enjoyed her wit, but she needed her space. She couldn't go to the newsroom to study since she ended up falling asleep there one evening last spring, only upsetting her editor. Now that she was the editor, it didn't look to good to be studying and subsequently sleeping there as well. So, her only solace from her hectic lifestyles was found in the columns of the books, her one constant. She picked up her phone, the sudden urge to call home and talk to her mother. She missed her often, but she needed to stand on her own, finding only the books that surrounded her to be doing the job these days. Taking another deep breath, she scrunched up her face as she struggled to finish the last pages of the chapter, deciding to call it a night. If she wasn't prepared for the exam by now, she never would be.

* * *

Jess escorted the final student out of the building, locking up the doors as the night librarian collected her belongings. "Good to see you, Jess."

Jess nodded as he sprayed some disinfectant spray on a table. He cleaned it thoroughly before moving onto the next one. He looked up again, noticing the woman had left her station, going back to his work. It was moments later when he saw the woman again, holding out a book. "I saw you spying this the other day." She handed him the book. "If you promise to return it by next Thursday, I'll let it be just between us." She winked before patting him on the back, exiting through the back door.

Jess looked down, spotting the cover of the Hemingway book, _In Our Time_, allowing a smile play on his lips. He had read the book far more times than necessary, but never could comprehend the honesty that it possessed. He slid it into his back pocket, continuing his cleanup of the first floor.

He had finished the first two floors, making his last round up of the top floor before heading down to the second level to get a few pages read before his lunch break and the disgruntled toilet. He vacuumed up and down the aisles, running the carpet until he spotted a head full of brown hair, sprawled out on the corner table, the person attached to it very nearly comatose, her face plastered to the open book. Jess rolled his eyes as he walked toward her, nudging her impatiently. "Hey, library's closed." He walked around to see if she had woke up, finding her still unconscious face limp against the harsh white pages. She looked comfortable there, Jess afraid to disturb her again. He watched her as she slept, memorized at her state. He noticed the headphones in her ears, clarifying her deafness. He nudged her gently again. "Hey."

Rory jumped up suddenly, looking around frantically. When she saw Jess standing before her, she softened. "Oh, I'm sorry." She wiped her chin, embarrassed at the drool that stuck to it. She checked her watch, seeing it was quarter to two, grabbing her books. "I can't believe I fell asleep like that." She stretched out her arms, looking around. "You must get this a lot, huh?"

Jess grunted. "Yeah, sorta." He really didn't have time to socialize with her, wanting to finish off the floor so he could get to his book.

Rory chuckled. "I think I might be narcoleptic or something. I fall asleep everywhere these days. I mean, I guess since I'm all wired with coffee, but it didn't effect me until I got here. It's just weird." She scrounged up the looseleaf paper scattered across the table. "Look at the mess I made." She felt her hands shake slightly, wondering if she'd collapse again on the floor. She was just so tired, feeling a yawn rise up her throat. "Sorry, I won't be much longer."

Jess watched her mouth flap, bewildered at how many words she could have formed. He simply nodded. "Sure." He handed her a fallen book, watching as she collected the remaining ones.

Rory looked up, shaking her head in apology. "Let me just--"

"I'll put those back." He took the stack, putting them on another table. "It's kinda late. You sure you wanna walk out by yourself?"

Rory nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." She pulled out her keys, revealing a whistle. "My mom got me this as soon as I stepped on campus." She chuckled, rolling her eyes. "I think I should manage. My dorm's across the quad."

Jess shook his head. "Just wait a few minutes. I'll walk you over myself." He turned, trying to grab another cleaning agent when he felt something on his body pulled. "What the--"

"Hemingway..." She raised an eyebrow as she thumbed through the book. Suddenly scrunching up her face, she shook her head. "You read this dribble?"

Jess snatched the book back. "Yeah." He suddenly regretted waking her up, finding her incredibly more tolerable asleep than in her lucid state.

Rory tensed up. "Sorry." She ruffled through her books, taking inventory before she left. "You really don't need to walk me. I'll be fine." She hitched up her messenger bag, gathering her hair to one side. "Have a good night." She waved before turning and walking quickly toward the stairs.

Jess rolled her eyes. "Jeez." He tossed his cleaning gloves and supplies down, trying to catch up. "Wait!" He caught up to her, attempting to catch his breath. "Look, let me just walk you. It can get kinda rough out there."

Rory chuckled. "It's Yale University... what could possibly happen to me? They'd clog me over on the head with Proust?" She snorted slightly, seeing no reaction from Jess. "You don't talk much, do you?"

"You do enough talking for the both of us." He shook his head, scratching his the back of neck.

Rory spied his name stitched on his work shirt. "Well... _Jess_. I'm fine, thanks." She pushed open the door, seeing it was locked. "Could you let me out, please."

Jess smirked. "Okay, I'll walk you out." He took out his keys, opening the door for her. As they walked out the doors and down the steps, a silence settled over them. Jess took advantage of the quiet lull before his companion started up again.

"I'm right over here." Rory made a side glance at Jess again, looking him over. "You're kinda young to be working here, aren't you?"

Jess shrugged. "Wouldn't know." He continued to walk beside her until she stopped. "Okay than, have a good night."

Rory nodded. "Good night." She waved again before going into the building. As she ascended the stairs, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth, leaving her plagued with the muddling thought: How could anyone who reads Hemingway be a janitor?

* * *

Jess walked back to the library, an air of uncertainty clung to him as he continued his cleaning job. He knew he still had a long night ahead of him, but he seemed less like his usual irritated self. He chuckled slightly, thinking about the young woman he met, a feeling of regret as he never gotten her name. It would have been nice to put a name to the face he thought as he went back to her table.

He normally didn't get like this with the co-eds that walked these grounds. They were just statues, posing for the real figures that lived in the real world while they walked in this fairytale paradise with cobblestone and three kinds of ice cream. She was just a girl, most likely someone else's girl. He nodded his head, shaking her piercing blue eyes from his mind.

Just as he was about to move along however, he noticed something shiny in the corner of his eye. Reaching for it, the second smile of the evening occurred as he looked down to find her student ID, with her name printed neatly to the right of her smiley face. "Lorelei."

* * *

_Okay, that's it for now. More to come. Reviews are love. --- MrsBigTuna_


	2. A Distraction

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls. It's someone else's problem.**_

_A/N: Wow, thank you all so much for the encouragement. I'm so glad you liked the first chapter, so I hope I don't disappoint with the next. I apologize for the delay of this chapter. I was in the middle of my finals, and as a pre-med student, I was going up the walls, freaking out, so yeah... but this helps calm me a bit, so that's why I do them. I'll try to update sooner. As always, read, review and enjoy!_

* * *

Was it possible for Paris to chew any louder? It was unnerving, the way her mouth seemed to slack as the corn flakes reached the brim of her lips. There wasn't any logical reason for Rory to even regard this as a distraction, but as her stomach made another howl in protest of malnutrition, she could only lay her head on the wooden table in a feeble attempt of surrendering.

Paris rolled her eyes in exasperation. "What's going on with your body? Are you dying or something?"

Rory shook her head against the table, not caring how juvenile the scene looked. "I'm trying to hold out until the administration building opens at nine." She raised her head, growling at Paris' fresh coffee. "When do we start getting up this early, anyway?"

"We always get up at seven. And it's only eight, same as always. What's your problem, Gilmore?"

"Lost ID. Can't eat. Will die."

"And apparently lost some vocabulary in the mix. Why don't you get something from down the street? You know... there's other places to eat _off_ campus."

"My stomach hurts so bad if I drive somewhere, I might run myself off the road from the pain and die in a fiery car crash." She accompanied the image with a shudder. "Gruesome car crash. I'm a bleeder."

Paris passed over her toast. "Oh, for Pete's sake, here. Your vial attitude is tainting my appetite."

"Bless you." Rory gorged at the bread, munched with vengeance. "This is the best toast ever."

"Would you relax? It's been like six hours since you last ate." Paris spooned another mouthful of cereal, before pushing it across the table to Rory. "Look, I have an appointment with my advisor or that internship in Seattle, so if you want to meet for lunch..." She watched on as Rory continued at the leftover cereal, not missing any fragments. "Yeah, I'll meet you later for lunch." She left the table in a huff, pushing aside a defenseless freshmen in her path.

Rory slurped down the remaining milk, wiping her mouth. "Yikes." She checked her watch, another forty minutes to go and counting. She hated having to go to the administration building, dealing with Lutz, the "ID Nazi" as she called him, answering a questionnaire she was more than certain was of his own creation. It was just another thing mounting on her shoulders as the clock ticked down to her final which was at nine thirty. Gathering her belongings to leave, she figured waiting in front of the building would save her precious minutes.

* * *

He didn't want to admit that he liked walking these grounds during the day. It wasn't as if he seemed to blend in with the argyle knit sweaters and penny loafer'ed students that dominated the luscious terrain, but in his mind's eye, he could escape for a few moments in the extreme thought of being one of them, if only for a little while. As always, the dream would fade and it would be replaced with the harsh reality of being a penniless custodian with floundered dreams and no real chance with pretty girls with perfect blue eyes.

The shift had twenty minutes left and he was finished early. So as he walked around in his plain clothes, out of the ridiculous uniform that branded his namesake, and simply lounge for a bit under an old oak and read. He did it every other Wednesday, not to make it a habit or have the faculty thinking him of loitering. There wasn't nice trees like this back at home, where if you sit on the ground, the chances of getting a disease rose dramatically. So, he took a seat and basked in the mid-November sun, grateful to have a few moments to pretend. And it was then that she made her cue.

She breezed past, not aware of her reverence to the other young suitors that watched her walk by. She seemed determined, not present at all, Jess figuring this was one of her characteristics. He still had her ID, figuring he would put in the mailbox before he left campus, but than again, it would have been a great way to talk to her, figuring she wouldn't fall asleep in the library again. With his luck, he probably scared her so badly, making her think he was a stalker the way he insisted on walking her across the quad. He shook his head, bewildered by the effect she had on him, after only one chance meeting. She was just a girl, a very pretty one though. But this wasn't like him. He didn't pursue these girls. They were all off-limits, out of his league. He wasn't supposed to even be here now. He was a janitor. What girl in her right mind would even bother with a guy like him?

Frustrated beyond his own comprehension, he bolted up, walking toward her as she sat on a bench by the entrance of the administration building, the building he just cleaned the toilets of not an hour before. Oh yeah, he had a show with her. He pulled out the ID from his wallet, shoving it in her face. "Here."

Rory looked up from her book, startled from the blinding light that shone the crown of the man in front of her. "Huh?"

"You dropped this last night. Figured you might want this back." He dug his hands back in his pockets, preparing to turn away. "See ya around."

Rory jumped up, flinging her arms around him. "Oh, my gosh. Thank you!" She held him a moment longer before realizing that she shouldn't have reacted like that. She chuckled as she pulled away, seeing his stunned expression. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, rolling her eyes. "I mean, thank you. I tore my entire apartment looking for this thing." She placed it properly in her waller, swinging her bag on her back. She tried to compose herself, thinking he looked tired, noticing his brown eyes had bags beneath them. "Um... how are you?"

Jess blinked a few times before he answered the question. "Ah... fine, I guess." They stood silent for a moment or two, awkwardness clinging to the wind. "So yeah... I'll see you around."

Rory nodded. "Yeah, see ya." She bit her lip, watching him walk faster toward the staff parking lot on the west end of the campus. She sighed, wanting to follow him, but she had an exam in a half hour and she still needed to brush up on the last four units. "Crap."

* * *

The drive home seemed longer than usual. Bridgeport was only 40 minutes from New Haven, but today, it felt further. It made sense, he reflected. He was as far away from the ivory towers as one could possibly be, only being able to step foot on the property because he agreed to clean after them for minimum wage. He drove down his street, the broken remains of an industrial town in is heyday, leaving behind the rubble, only made him feel that distant.

He noticed Rick's car in the driveway, parked haphazardly as always. He would never understand how he ever gotten his driver's license. As if called, Rick popped his head out of the front door. "Hey man."

"Hey." Jess walked into the house, heading toward his room, not wanting anything more than a few hours rest, desperate to erase the previous night's events.

Rory got out of the classroom, relieved that one of four finals were over. She had her others after the Thanksgiving break, but she could rest easier knowing her most difficult class was over forever, never having to darken the doorway again. With the holiday rapidly approaching, the urge to drive home was become more severe. She hadn't had the chance to make the drive long enough to pull herself away from her studies, neglecting her beloved Stars Hollow, and with the stress dwindling slightly, the guilt reared its ugly head, regretting it immensely. She dialed her mother, a small smile on her lips. "Hey."

"Hey kiddo." Lorelai Gilmore chuckled over the phone. "So, how was the first one?"

"Not too bad. I mean, I figured if I got through Mikhail Lomonosov okay, I'd be aces by the time I hit Alexander Radishchev."

"Oh yeah, once you get Lomonosov, everything else is downhill." They both giggled, causing Rory's stomach to hurt. "So, when are you coming on Wednesday? 'Cause Sookie is planning on making you this huge dinner. Oops! Was I supposed to say that?"

"Sookie's cooking Thanksgiving?" Rory's mouth practically watered at the image of stuffed turkey and every side dish that could possibly fit on the table.

"Yes and the surprise party for you, but don't tell her I told you. It's supposed to be a surprise."

"Who told you? Everybody knows you can't keep a secret." Rory opened the door to her dorm, relieved that Paris was still away. She plopped on the couch, thankful to have daytime television. "So, how's everyone?"

"Well, Jackson is freaking out as usual over the plans for your surprise dinner, trying his best to stir his cousins from the scene. He's the one who told me about the party. I guess for my own protection."

"Figures. He must not have been in his right mind, naturally."

"Naturally." Lorelai chuckled again. "Anyway, Luke's fine and everyone's figured that you have abandoned us out here. Some people are forgetting what you look like."

Rory rolled her eyes, feeling her stomach squirm. "I've wanted to come out, but I've been so busy."

"I know, sweetie. It's just Babette has been wound up more than usual. I think they just miss you."

Rory eyed the clock, seeing she had another hour before her staff meeting in the newsroom. "I'll see you for Friday night dinner, right?"

There was a pause on the other line. "Luke wants to make another care package for you, plenty of coffee canisters."

"You're coming, aren't you? You can't bail this week, please! Grandma made me watch this really weird slid show from one of her DAR meetings. She wanted me to imitate their posture. Something about me getting hunchback from all the classes I've taken this year." She absentmindedly touched her back.

"So I should disregard that application I saw in your room for 'bell tower security'?" Lorelai chuckled. "I'll be there. That's where I'm planning on ambushing you and dragging you home for the weekend."

"I can't. I have to head back to New Haven that night since I have a big meeting with the paper, and another one in a little while, since we have a short week next week, I had to push everything back a few days in order to get the paper out."

"Alright, well, how about Paris? Is she--"

"She's going to New York to have Thanksgiving with Doyle. They've been planning it for weeks."

"Oh good. Okay, than. I guess I better let you go before Michel has a seizure. Oh, he gets those now."

"Be sure to grab his tongue."

"Why?"

"I don't know. That's what they always say on _Ben Casey_. I guess something about swallowing their tongues is an issue."

"That might an improvement. Love you."

"You too." She hung up, feeling the need to call, just to hear her voice. She needed a distraction, but what?

* * *

Jess walked down the stairs of the small house he shared with three other people. One was his best friend, the closet thing he had to a brother, Michael. They grew up together in New York, but when Michael got a good job at the local power plant near his father, he invited Jess to come along. Jess worked at the plant all of four hours after setting off a reactor. Despite his nonchalant attitude and lack of mechanical skills, the two were think as thieves. And there was Rick, who was a friend from around, knowing both Jess and Michael. He moved in when his landlord burned his apartment to the ground seven months ago, bringing his high-maintenance girlfriend. It wasn't much, he knew, but there was something about having the four walls around him that made his piece of shit house a home. He rummaged through the refrigerator. "Who drank the last of the milk?"

Rick walked through the kitchen, not bothering to bathe Jess took notice. "Sorry, bro. Jeanine wanted some cereal this morning."

"Nice." Jess shock his head, slamming the door again as he walked into the back room, disregarding Rick's apologies. Seeing Michael watching television, he joined him on the couch. "Hey."

Michael looked from the television, smiling. "Hey man. I thought you'd be sleep until later."

"Couldn't sleep." He rubbed his eyes, blinking at the screen. "What's this?"

"Dunno. I thought I recognized someone but I was wrong." He switched it off, turning to Jess. "So, what's up?"

"I think I need to call my mom." Jess stretched his arms over his head. "It's been a few weeks. You know how she gets."

Michael nodded sympathetically. "Is she still with the yahoo, Bert or something?"

"TJ and yes." She shook his head. "He's good for her though. She's... grounded now."

"Yeah." Michael walked across the room, looking out the window. "Are you gonna head over to Mr. Douchebag's with Rick and me?"

"Sam's having another party?"

"Yeah. Supposed to be a real rager." He rose his eyebrows, causing Jess to chuckle. "So, you up for it?"

"Work. Bunch of people out sick, but I could use the extra money, so..."

"That's cool. Most likely gonna be lame anyway." He patted Jess on the back, walking out to leave. "But maybe we can hang tomorrow night."

"Sounds good." Jess smirked slightly as Michael left. He was the only person to get more than three words out of him at a time. He could hear Rick upstairs singing offkey in the shower, regretting that he had to go to work on his night off. "Dammit."

* * *

Rory rushed past a group of students hanging in front of the English Department, trying to make the meeting that she made for her staff on time. Making it with three minutes to spare, she threw down her coat and bag before everyone started piling in. "Hey everyone."

A few people said welcomes, but there seemed to a collective tension in the air. "Okay, so I needed to get everyone's reports in, if you haven't already. We need next week's edition out by Monday instead of Wednesday since Thanksgiving is next week. So, if you have any objections or conflicting issues..." Several hands rose. "Yes, James?"

"I have three finals on Mondays, two of which I have to get no less than a 98.3% in order to remain at my 3.8 GPA."

Rory nodded. "Okay, I understand that it's kinda overwhelming but--"

"I'll do it!" Paris hand rose so quickly, she nearly gave James who stood next to her whiplash. "I can handle it." She leaned away from James whispering, "Seeing as certain people can't keep it together during finals."

"Hey!" Rory rolled her eyes. "Look, I know that it's stressful right now. But like everyone else, we've made a commitment to this paper, so try your best to get in your articles. By Friday."

An uproar of protest erupted, attacking Rory with a ravenous bite. Another student tossed his article on the table in front of Rory." Finished mine last night."

"Thank you, Neil." She put it off to the side, hoping everyone would settle down. "You still have two days to get your articles in. I'm willing to extend it to Saturday's meeting, but I'd prefer if you can get in by Friday, we can concentrate on--"

"Could I turn mine in on Saturday?" James looked green in the face, apparently still nervous from Paris' comment.

"See me this evening and we'll talk about." Rory checked her watch, seeing she had about fifteen minutes to get to her next class. "Okay, I'll be available all this week here until 10:30pm for anyone who needs assistance or wants to talk to me about an extension. And if you see me in the hall, don't turn them into me than. I'll lost them. Just head over here." She smiled again, struggling the frown that seemed to compose her as looked on her disgruntled staff. "Okay, I think that's it for now so I'll see you guys tomorrow." She released them, a few others handing her printouts.

Paris walked up to meet her in the front. "You seem tense. Is everything okay?"

"I'm fine, Paris. She collected the rest of the papers, putting them in a folder on her desk and racing toward the door."

"Yeah, me and Doyle took this yoga class over at Hiller. It's really great. I mean, our sex hasn't been this great since---"

"Okay, I really have to get to class." Rory nearly broke into a sprint as she tried to keep Paris and Doyle's sex life at a great distance.

* * *

Jess heard Rick and Michael leave as he walked around his bedroom, feeling restless. He had tried to go back to sleep, but he only seemed to go in circles in his mind, making him nauseous. He figured a walk would do him good, but the neighborhood nearly made him more nauseous. He looked at his watch, it only being nine thirty, he figured he could drive around a bit before work.

As he drove down the streets, he had the fleeting thought of going to New York. He hadn't been there in months, taking an impromptu trip up with Michael to see a friend for their birthday. When they first moved out here, they were in New York every weekend for some party or whatever excuse they could find to be amongst the bright lights the city held. He missed being able to get a slice of pizza at 2 in the morning or walking down the street and seeing another thousand people from all directions. But going now, he'd missed work and he couldn't afford to get fired. So, he settled further in his seat as the next exit revealed New Haven.

Working at Yale was a mixed blessing. He applied for the job through a random connection, Steven. He knew Rick, and he put in a good word for him. As far as a paycheck, it was as much as Michael and Rick made at the plant when they first started off, so Jess had no complaints. He picked up shifts at the local tavern from time to time to help pay the bills, but the only redeeming factor for working at Yale was the access to the library. He would finish whole books in days, cleaning a floor here, reading twenty pages there. And if he played his cards right, the night librarian, Ruth, who held a sweet spot for him reserved a few choice books for him. But than the downside, he was around punkass socialites, catering to their puke residue or ill-fated keg parties that would spread on campus like last week when Sigma Nu decided to tepee several trees or when they set off a fire in the faculty parking lot. Yeah, most of the time, the cons out weighted the pros. He mostly struggled with the fact that no matter how much smarter he might have been than half of the morons that attended the school, there was very little he could do about it.

* * *

Rory walked back from the newsroom, enjoying the quiet from the buildings. She had received all but four articles for the next week's paper, relieved that everyone was taking the initiative with their work, pulling together. He just had to pull Paris away from a freshmen reporter after she cried in Rory's arms about her finals in Organic Chemistry and how she thought she might flunk out. Sometimes she felt more like a counselor than an editor, but she always felt a swell of pride whenever she saw her staff pull it together for every issue. She just needed a vacation from it for a while, the hunger to return to Stars Hallow only increasing. It was than that she saw a familiar figure on the north side of the quad. "Hey." The figure looked in her direction, seemingly tense as she approached him. Just before she was upon him, she cracked a smile, recognizing Jess' stiff demeanor. "We should really stop meeting like this."

Jess shrugged. "Maybe." Something about the way the moon hit her chestnut locks made him feel a bit more bold, wanting to smooth them down. "Do you always walk alone at night?"

"I thought the night cleaning crew didn't come in for a few more hours." She instantly wanted to take back those words, sounding like a heartless, spoiled child. She noticed his standoffish reaction, quickly trying to recover. "I mean, it's nice seeing you again. I thought I would have to be out later to see you." She chastised herself again, wondering why she was being so moronic. "I mean--"

"No, it's just I thought I'd come in early." He pulled a book from his back pocket. "Get some reading down. I figured since it was late, no one would be around." He looked her up and down. "Sane, at least."

Rory chuckled. "I deserved that." She fidgeted slightly under his watchful eye, as if he was scrutinizing her every move.

Jess chuckled silently to himself, enjoying her uncomfortable mannerisms. "Were you about to--"

"Oh, I was about to--" They both chuckled. "I was gonna get a cup of coffee, since I need to go over some more articles for the paper."

"Oh, you're on the paper?"

"I'm the editor." There was a pride that seemed to glow under the dim lights the stars provided, making her nearly flawless. "Do you read it?"

"Not really." He watched her features flicker with disappointment, considering another motive. "But I could help you out, you know... the editing part."

Rory considered it. "When does your shift start?"

He checked his watch exaggeratedly. "In two hours."

Rory nodded. "Cool. So, um... I was thinking of going to this place down the street. Cooper's."

Jess knew the place more for its poetry sets on the weekends he caught a few times on a whim. It wasn't the usual place that he found Yale students. "Yeah, I know the place."

"Yeah, it's the only coffee place that's open past nine." She hitched up her bag, turning and walking. "Come on."

Jess followed her, not exactly sure why he had allowed her to convince him into this, but remembering he had suggested it. He felt slightly apprehensive sudden shift in personality, letting down his guard around a girl her barely knew. And he was also intrigued that she didn't seem offended by his occupation, figuring she had her choice through the more thoroughbred elite. Once they had gotten to the shop, Rory chose a table near the back, catching Jess curious look. "What?"

"Do you normally hang out with the cleaning crew?"

Rory shrugged off her coat, smirking. "No, but than again, the cleaning crew doesn't read Faulkner." She chuckled. "I saw you holding _Light in August_ this morning. So yeah, I figured you were at least moderately intelligent." As he sat across from her, she shuffled through some papers. "Okay, you can look over these."

Jess looked at the topic line, _Economic Parish_. "Yikes."

"It's okay. Consider it 'light reading'." She continued to read on, handing him a red marker. "Have fun."

He looked over at her for another moment, memorized by the predicament he found himself in. "Oh yeah... fun."

* * *

_Sorry again for the wait. Will have more chapters up sooner, promise. --- MrsBigTuna_


	3. Blast From the Past

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Gilmore Girls or any other girls. **_

_A/N: Hey! Remember me? Yeah, I know it's been like... two years since I last posted. I have been rather blocked with this story, hoping that you all are still willing to read and continue with me. Again, my profound apologies. Hopefully, it won't be another year before this story is updated._

* * *

She was staring at a blank screen, the white page blurring as her eyes watered. The hands on the clock must have had three revolutions since she started her paper, which she had yet to start, fearing she let slip another night without getting some work done. She heard Paris meandering in the kitchen, knocking pans over in her wake. "What are you doing in there? Raising sheep?"

"Yes, that's exactly what I'm doing." She walked through the living room, nudging Rory. "You know I'm allergic to wool."

"Sorry." Hearing Paris leave again, Rory closed out the Word document, coming to the conclusion she wasn't going to get any work done before tomorrow, when she would had back to Hartford. She figured there would be no time between than and her last staff meeting before the holiday break, knowing everyone would be gone by that Wednesday before the holiday really got underway. Digging through her purse, she pulled out her purse, seeing three missed messages, two of from Lucy, her art friend that had been a sort of confident of the past few semesters. Both of them insisted she join her and their mutual friend, Olivia, at the local watering hole for drinks. Shrugging her shoulders, she pulled on some boots and headed for the door. "Going out. See you later."

Walking down the solitary street, the frost from the north reared its ugly head as the branches overhead seemed to claw at the wind, fighting a losing war as it hummed a sorrowful tune, only creating a lesser of two evils. Rory folded her arms closer to her body as she made the final turn down the grimy street that housed pub after pub, filled with rowdy students, relieving the tension that was nearly infectious as the hurtling winds. She pounded into the nearest one, wrestling with her scarf when she heard a high-pitched giggle coming from the back. Before she could turn around, she was bombarded by two pairs of arms, pulling her in two different directions. "I surrender! I don't have any money!"

"We know that." Lucy giggled back. "I thought you'd never get here. Why didn't you call us? We could had a cold one for you." She grabbed hold of Rory's free hand, dragging her to the back table where a few other patrons were sitting, well ahead of their seconds. "I bring you good tidings." She presented Rory like a handsome goose, getting a few chuckles and waves in her wake. "Sit by me. We have some catching up to do."

Rory took a seat, seeing a few other classmates from her English classes, but most of them were Lucy and Olivia's art and theater friends, none of which she could remember names of, but she continued to smile, hoping nobody asked her any questions, just drink, which she needed to get. When she saw a server pass, she pulled on her apron. "PBR, please?"

Lucy smirked, turning around dramatically. "Okay, I need to tell about this fetching gentlemen in my new yoga class I'm taking over on Hiller."

Rory guzzled down at least a third of her beer, dreading to hear anything about the same yoga class Paris had been raving about for the last few months. She was still nauseous at the images of her and Doyle and their sexual positions. "Um, okay." She nodded on until she noticed someone over at the bar, seeing his spiky blond hair, a smug grin and the usual glow that rested on his shoulders as others surrounding him seemed to dim. "Crap."

"What?" Lucy looked around until she saw Logan Huntzberger, Rory's ex. "Oh. I'm sorry, love. I didn't see him come in. We can leave if you want. I know-"

"No, it's okay. He saw me anyway. He's on his way over." Just as she finished, Logan stood just in arm's length, a quizzical brow on his nearly perfect features. "Hey Logan."

"Ace. Good to see you." He pulled up a chair and sat down in one fluid motion, not interrupting the involving conversation behind them. "It's been a while."

"Yeah, it has." She looked over at Lucy, who nodded softly before walking to the other side of the table, jumping right into a heated discussion between two men with identical beards. She looked back at Logan, controlling her breathing. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Business is pretty good in London right now. Their economy isn't as sturdy as ours at the moment, but we're working it towards our advantage."

"That's great." Rory tried to bare the brave face, twisting the napkin in her lap and hoping the beer would take its effect sooner rather than later so she could stop fidgeting. "How's Honor?"

"She's great, you know? I thought you guys still talked?"

"Oh, you know..." She was getting exasperated with her choice of liquor, wanting a Johnny Walker to calm her nerves. "Logan..."

"Look, I don't want to interrupt your gathering anymore, just wanted to say 'Hi.'" He stood up suddenly, a wave of gloom passing over him. "You look good, Rory."

"So do you." She bit back her tongue, knowing that he only led to more tear shed, more confusion, which her life had enough of, in large part to him.

Logan dug into his pockets, appearing awkward, if only the few times he ever had. "Can I at least buy you a drink?"

She figured if she was going to have to go through with this unexpected reunion, she would need more than PBR in her system. "Sure." She began to stand when he offered his hand, taking it hesitantly before taking a stool at the bar. "A Johnny Walker, please?"

* * *

"This isn't a good idea." Jess buried his head deeper into his hand as he leaned on the car window, watching as familiar streets passed, leading up to New Haven's downtown district, the neighborhood bars twinkling with bright marquees and glowing windows, illuminating the pavements and cracked tar roads.

Rick chuckled, pulling Jeanine closer to him over the divider. "Would you relax, home slice? It's just a couple of bars. What? The little rich brats are gonna pistol whip us if we don't leave their 'turf'?" He snorted, turning down another street, where more store fronts stood. "Look, I'm tired of the same shit at home and this one place brews some decent beer, so if I want to spend $7 for a brew, I will." He put the car in park, turning to face Jess and Michael, who had been silent through most of the trip in quiet alliance to Jess. "If you want to stay in the car, it's your loss."

"Whatever." He sulked silently, watching Rick and Jeanine leave. He faced Michael, who seemed more intrigued by the frosting of the windows of the pubs, salivating at the opportunity for decent beer, something they both lacked. "Don't mind me. Go ahead."

Michael looked back, shamefaced. "No, I'm fine in the car. I mean, I don't have money to waste on-"

"Just go, dude." He nearly pushed him out of the car as he watched him walked up to the door, joining the couple as the order a pitcher. Jess continued to look around the car, making sure the doors were locked, knowing the neighborhood wasn't exactly safe at night. Once you left the campus, it got sketchy quickly. He looked into the bar again when someone caught his eye. Seeing Rory, appearing to be alone at the bar, he felt his palms sweat instantly. Checking his reflection in the mirror, he got out of the car and into the bar, seeing her in fact, alone. He noticed Michael, Rick and Jeanine at a side table, but ignored them as he approached Rory. "Hey."

Rory turned, looking slightly unhinged until she faced him, her face lightening. "Hey!" She straightened, offering a stool beside her. She looked behind her before turning to Jess again. "What are you doing here? I thought I wouldn't see you until tomorrow." She looked generally pleased to see him however, settling Jess' insecurities. "What brings you here?"

Jess smirked, thumbing behind him. "Them."

Rory chuckled at the three of them, all staring at her with an awestruck expression. "Friends of yours?"

"I guess." He motioned for the bartender. "How are you?"

"Oh, well..." She looked behind her again before answering. "I'm okay. I just couldn't get any work done tonight, and my friend Lucy wanted to drag me out so..." She shrugged, taking another sip of her drink. "But I actually wanted to talk to you about your edit the other day. It was really good. You caught something I hadn't caught."

"Huh." He drank some of his beer when a blond guy walked behind Rory, putting his hand on her shoulder. "Hey."

Rory shrugged of his hand, turning. "Logan-"

Logan took his stool, looking predatory. "Who's this?"

Rory spun her stool, facing the mirrored panel of the bar, looking at her reflection. Jess looked at her stance, seeing the tension in her shoulders. Instead of making her suffer through introductions, he outstretched his hand. "Jess."

Logan looked at his hand, ignoring it and facing Rory. "You know this guy?"

"He works with me on the paper." Rory looked over at Jess, pleading with him to agree. "We were just discussing an article he helped me edit the other night."

Finally taking Jess hand, he smirked. "Huh? Haven't seen you around? What year are you?"

"He doesn't go to Yale." Rory stiffened more until she finished the last of her drink. "Look, Logan, I think I'd better get home." She than turned to Jess, the same pleading look on her face. "Jess-"

"Uh, yeah. Sure." He took her hand, helping her off her stool as they both walked toward the door, only being stopped by Logan.

"Look, if anyone's going to be taking her home, it'll be me." He moved to shove Jess when Rory stopped him.

"Just leave us alone, Logan." She could tell he was beside himself, his eyes were distant and swollen from drinking. A part of her wanted to pull him close, but she stopped herself, looking back at Jess. "I'll meet you outside." Jess looked apprehensively, reluctantly nodding and walking to the door. Facing Logan again, she clenched her purse. "Listen, I can't do this with you. Not tonight."

He shook his head, chuckling sardonically. "I get it, ace." He reached over to the bar, knocking back the rest of his drink. She knew he only drank like this when he was nervous, a part of her feeling vindicated for her anxiety.

"I'm sorry." She reached for his hand, giving it a small squeeze. "Maybe when we're both clear-headed, we can really talk. But I can't, not right now."

He nodded solemnly, reaching over for a quick embrace. "Take care of you."

"You too." Rory patted once before letting go, walking out the door. She inhaled sharply, the wind picking up speed, howling in the surrounding trees as she walked down the street. The chill of the night and the stale taste of beer and whiskey clung to her tongue, wanting to find some warmth.

Jess watched her walk toward him, a vision as her hair caught the wind, the lights from the store fronts being used as a guiding light to his car. She seemed untouchable, a dream if there ever was one. But as she drew closer, the warmth of her smile bringing a rumbling under his surface, a yearning to place where she roamed, where she was real and so was he. "You okay?"

"Not really." She looked up at the sky, freckles of stars peeking over the city lights. "Is this your car?"

"No, but I have the keys." He dangled them in front of her. "I pulled the short end of the stick."

"Designated driver." She smirked when she reached behind him, pulling the door open. "Could we drive around?"

Walking over to the driver's side, he glanced back to the bar, seeing his friends, oblivious to the interaction with Rory and her acquaintance. Inwardly promising them a better parking spot, he hopped in, pulling out and down the street.

They drove around in silence for a few minutes before Rory finally broke it. "Thanks."

"What for?"

"You know, not being an ass." She leaned on the window, her breath making a swirl on the glass. "He's usually not like that."

"Sure." He made a left hand turn, entering the school campus. They passed by several buildings, the rolling trees with its canopies blocking out the moonlit sky. "Want me to drop you off at home?"

"No. Not yet." She turned in her seat to face him. "I'm glad I saw you tonight. I don't think I would have gotten out of there alive if I didn't."

"No problem." He glanced over at her, seeing a glazed look in his eyes. He had wanted to know about Logan, why he was around Rory and why she was so repulsed by him, but not enough to be left alone with him. He usually wouldn't bother asking, not wanting to get involved. Even with the women he dated, he respected their past and felt it was best left where it was. But withRory, he wanted to know everything, the notion making him uneasy. Rolling his shoulder, he coughed. "So..."

"He's my ex." She lamented nothing, as if she was detached by any emotion owned to it. "It's complicated."

"Huh." He continued to circle the campus, pulling out and passing down a nearby elementary school. "Sorry."

"Me too." She chuckled, sitting higher in her seat. "It's easy to talk to you. You don't say much, but you get your message across." A soft grimace graced her milky complexion. "I envy that."

"Don't. It makes conversation not too interesting." At the red light, he faced her again. "But I like talking to you too." He nearly reached her than, a simple touch of her hand would have been ideal, but he left his hand on the steering wheel, making a right hand turn down another abandoned street.

Rory looked out the window again, pulling her legs up to her chest. "I should probably get home. I still have to pack for Thanksgiving."

"You're leaving?"

"Yeah, going back home. It's not far, less than a hour away. But lately I've been going home less and less, with school and the paper and everything..."

"Yeah."

"Are you doing anything for the holiday?"

"Dunno." He pulled up to her apartment building, putting the car in park. "But I'll see you afterwards, right?" He rolled his eyes at his pathetic behavior, thankful they were alone.

"Definitely." She leaned over, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before jumping out of the car and swiftly entering the building. He watched on, scoffing as he pulled out the spot, her lips leaving a bruise.

Michael and Rick were standing in front of the bar, both crossed-armed when Jess pulled up in front of them. He heard Rick curse, kicking the tires as he jerked open the back door. "Where the fuck were you, man?"

Michael smirked, patting Jess on the shoulder while Jeanine scooted in the back. "Was it that chick I saw you with?"

Jess snorted, turning the key in the ignition. "Maybe."

* * *

_A/N: I know this was more of a filler chapter, but I wanted to establish a few things, and more will be revealed soon, I promise._

_Thanks again for reading!_


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